Plans for temporary gas station shelved

Petro-Canada intends to offer Creekside space to VANOC for use
leading up to and during 2010 Games

Petro-Canada’s plans to build a temporary gas station in
Whistler have been shelved at the last minute, prompting council to ask staff
to look for other fuelling opportunities.

“(It’s) not viable to move forward with this plan,” said Mayor
Ken Melamed, who pulled Petro-Canada’s application from the council agenda at
Monday’s meeting. The decision to forego the plan was made on Friday.

The mayor explained it was a mutual decision between the
company and council.

Petro-Canada spokesperson Sneh Seetal confirmed that the
company had submitted plans for a temporary facility that would have had three
pumps, a small kiosk, and a mechanical and restroom structure. It was to be
dismantled in the fall of 2009 in order to give the Vancouver Organizing
Committee for the 2010 Games (VANOC) space for use during the Games.

“We had a plan,” said Seetal. “We put that forward but the
municipality wants to go in another direction and we respect that.”

Seetal said the site, which is located in Creekside, would be
offered to VANOC for use now. Petro-Canada is a VANOC national sponsor at a
commitment valued at $62.5 million, which includes products, services, cash and
athlete support.

“Our focus now is on making that site ready for VANOC to use,”
said Seetal.

Part of council’s issue with the proposal was that it offered
no permanent facility, particularly leaving a gap in the resort’s fuelling
infrastructure at what could be one of its busiest times in history, the winter
of 2009-2010.

In addition, the fuelling tanks were designed to go above
ground.

“As we worked through the details, the pros and cons of the
proposal, we came to a mutual agreement that it probably wasn’t worth pursuing
a temporary facility,” said Melamed. “At this point we want to look at a
permanent facility and if we have to miss another winter with the absence of
that gas station, then so be it, but we should invest the time in finding a
better permanent location somewhere in the community.”

Whistler has had just one gas station servicing the community
ever since the Petro-Canada station closed one year ago for environmental
remediation work. The fallout from that closure has been long lineups at the
Husky gas station.

Council was quick to point out that it recognizes the need for
another station.

He hoped the marketplace would decide that there’s an
under-serviced market in Whistler for gas.

In the meantime, council wants to ensure the way is paved for
any future prospects. It has directed staff to investigate and report back on
opportunities to provide the community and visitors with alternatives and/or
additional capacity for vehicle fuelling.

A gas station was approved as part of the Rainbow subdivision
north of the village. As there is no activity at the Rainbow site it is not
clear when that station will be up and running.

Petro-Canada is evaluating its options in the market, which
include looking at other pieces of land for a gas station.